Pallet and stacking pin



. July 28, 1970 R. M. LOOMIS 3,521,7fi4

PALLET AND STAGKING PIN Filed June 28, 1968 f? z/nzo 7": if'usis'ell(W1, Laura 2'6 United States Patent 3,521,764 PALLET AND STACKING PINRussell M. Loomis, Palos Heights, 111., assignor to Unarco Industries, acorporation of Illinois Filed June 28, 1968, Ser. No. 741,120 Int. Cl.B6511 19/38 US. Cl. 214-105 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Astacking pin construction for preventing movement of vertically stackedpallets or the like includes a tubular guide socket extending throughthe thickness of each of the panels and opening to its opposite faces. Atapered pin is slideably disposed within the tubular socket and carriesa pair of removable projecting arms which extend through elongated slotsin the socket. The pin is adapted to assume a first position in whichthe pin is entirely contained within the tubular guide and is adapted tomove to a second position by gravity in which a portion of the pinextends beyond one of the faces of the pallet and into the opening ofthe tubular guide of the next adjacent pallet for aligning the palletsand preventing their movement relative to each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a stacking pinconstruction and, more particularly, to a stacking pin construction foruse with pallets or the like to provide a simple means forinterconnecting pallets when laid one upon another to prevent slippingmovement therebetween, while readily permitting removal of the toppallet from a stack of pallets.

Pallets, when not in use, are generally stacked in vertical stacks oneupon the other. Where the pallets are stacked to substantial heights,the stack frequently becomes unstable and is subjected to possibletoppling resulting in damage to personnel or to the pallets themselves.The probability of toppling increases if the various pallets comprisingthe stack are not relatively accurately aligned with each other whenstacking or if the surfaces of the pallets are relatively smooth. Ifstacking pins or other stack steadying elements are employed to assistin steadying the stacks, such elements must generally be manuallypositioned during stacking. Such manual positioning is both timeconsuming and hazardous, since the person doing the manual positioningwill frequently insert his hand beneath the pallet which is beinglowered into stacked position. Moreover, since the stacking pins orother steadying elements are not generally carried as an integral partof each pallet, they are subject to becoming lost or unavailable whenneeded.

The stacking pin construction incorporating the principles of myinvention obviates the aforementioned disadvantages and substantiallyreduces the probability of toppling of a stack of pallets. The stackingpin of my invention is carried as an integral part of the pallet at alltimes and a portion thereof automatically tends to extend beyond thelower face of the pallet when the pallet is being stacked verticallyupon another pallet obviating the possibility of loss of the pin, orrequiring manual positioning or removal of the pin when the pallet isbeing stacked or unstacked. Moreover, the stacking pin conice structionof my invention will not damage the face coverings of adjacently stackedpallets or cargo which is carried by the pallets while the pinconstruction facilitates the rapid alignment of the pallet being stackedwith the other pallets already stacked, and actually assists in suchalignment. Finally the stacking pin of my invention may be easilyremoved and replaced in the field without disassembly of the pallet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a principal aspect the pallet and stackingpin construction of my invention includes a guide means located betweenand opening through the opposing faces of a pallet or the like. Amoveable pin is carried by the guide means and is constructed andarranged to cooperate with the guide means to be positioned in either afirst position where the pin is completely contained between the palletfaces and is slideably moveable to a second position wherein a portionof the pin extends beyond one of the faces to engage the guide means ofthe next adjacent pallet to prevent horizontal movement of the palletswith respect to each other.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more clearly understood through a consideration of thefollowing detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the course of this descriptionreference will be frequently made to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pallet or panel employing the stacking pinconstruction of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectioned fragmentary view of a stack of the palletstaken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the cooperation between thestacking pins of each of the pallets; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectioned, enlarged, fragmentary view of the palletand stacking pin construction taken along line 33 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, a typicalpanel or pallet P is shown comprising a rectangular metal framestructure which is formed by a plurality of interconnected edge beams 6,end beams 8 and intermediate beams 9 of channel or box construction.Suitable headed pins 10 are provided extending from the ends of thepallet adjacent the corners for positioning the pallet either in ahorizontal or vertical position in a lading space. The faces of theframe are covered with a suitable sheet material, such as plywood, forsupporting articles to be carried on the upward facing one of the twofaces 12 and 14.

If the pallets P are stacked when not in use to any substantial height,there is a tendency of one or more of the pallets to move in ahorizontal direction if inadvertently struck or if the pallets arepoorly aligned in relation to each other. If the stack of pallets fallsfor one reason or another, serious damage may be visited upon either thepallets themselves or upon personnel or other equipment in the immediatevicinity, since each of the pallets frequently ranges upward of 400pounds in weight.

The stacking pin construction of my invention is preferably locatedmidway of the length of the ends of the pallet P in each of the endbeams 8 to facilitate the vertical alignment and stacking of unloadedpallets when the pallets are not in use. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, thestacking pin construction includes a tubular guide socket 16 extendingbetween and integral with the flanges of the end beams 8, the socketopening through the faces 12 and 14 of the pallet. The socket 16 isfirmly secured to the inner side of the flanges of the end beam by weld17.

Each of the tubular guide sockets 16 slideably carries an elongated pin18 therein to which a rod-like arm 20 is removably attached, such asbeing driven by a press fit or the like. The arm 20 projects radiallyfrom substantially the midpoint of the pin 18, extending in oppositedirections beyond the diameter of the pin. Where arm 20 extends toopposite sides of pin 18, a pair of elongated slots 22 are provided onopposite sides of the tubular guide 16 and the oppositely extending endsof the rodlike arm 20 extend through each of the slots. The longitudinalends of each slot 22 extend toward but are spaced inwardly of the palletfaces 12 and 14 by such a distance as to allow the projection of only aportion 24 of the in 18 beyond either face 12 or 14 of the pallet. Theoverall length of the pin 18 is somewhat shorter than the length of thetubular guide socket 16, the length of the socket 16 being at least thelength of its pin 18 plus the fully extended length of the extendedportion 24 of another pin. Each of the ends 24 of the pin is tapered,being generally frustoconical in shape and each of the tapered ends isadapted to extend from the guide socket 16 beyond either face 12 or 14of the pallet. Also each end of the tubular guide socket 16, at thepoint where it opens through its respective pallet face 12 or 14, isbeveled at 26 to facilitate positioning of the pallet and the entry ofthe extended tapered portion 24 of the pin 18 of the upper next pallet.

The web portion of the end beam 8 includes an aperture 28 which isaligned with the vertical axial plane of pin 18 that extends through theslots 22. If it is desired to remove or replace the pin 18, the arm 20is so positioned that it may be readily aligned with the opening 28 tofacilitate removal of the arm 20 from or insertion into the pin 18.While arm 20 is shown press fit through pin 18, an arm 20 may also bethreadably connected at one end to a pin 18.

To stack the pallets, the lowermost pallet is disposed upon the floor orsuitable support surface of the space in which the pallets are to bestacked. Referring to FIG. 2 when the pallet is being placed upon thefloor, its stacking pin 18 contacts the floor and is thereby urgedupwardly into its guide socket 16 such that the stacking pin iscompletely contained within the guide socket. Since the tubular guidesocket 16 is somewhat longer than the stacking pin 18, sufiicient spaceremains at the top of the tubular guide socket to accommodate theextending portion of the pin 18 of the next pallet which is to be placedon the lowermost pallet. The next pallet is then disposed upon thelowermost pallet by horizontally maneuvering the next pallet aboutadjacent the upper face 12 of the first pallet until the tapered end 24of its stacking pin 18 finds the beveled opening 26 of the tubular guidesocket of the first pallet. The second pallet is then brought to rest onthe first pallet. When the tapered end 24 of the pin finds the beveledopening, the tapered pin end drops into the remaining empty portion ofthe tubular guide socket of the lower pallet locking the upper pallet inplace and preventing relative horizontal movement of the pallet. Thebeveled openings 26 and tapered pin ends 24 thus facilitate thealignment of the respective pins and tubular guides and, in turn, of thepallets themselves when the pallets have been located in a nearlyaligned position. A third pallet may then be stacked upon the secondpallet in a manner similar to that previously described, more thanenough room remaining in the second pallets socket 16, particularly inview of the lowered disposition of its stacking pin 18, to accommodatethe extended end 24 of the third pallets pin. Additional pallets may befurther stacked in succession upon the already stacked pallets in asimilar manner.

It will be evident when viewing the description of the preferredembodiment of my stacking pin construction, that the stacking pin 18 notonly acts to lock each of the successive pallets against horizontalmovement relative to each other, but also assists in the properalignment of each of the pallets with respect to each other since thetapered ends 24 will tend to seek the beveled openings 26 by gravitywhen they are near each other. Since each of the stacking pins arecompletely retractable into their tubular guide sockets, a smoothsurface is provided upon the faces of each of the pallets, avoidingdamage to cargo or packages while the pallets are in use, as well asavoiding damage to the floor of the storage space or the palletcoverings. Moreover, the stacking pins of my invention automaticallyextend and secure the pallets without need for manual manipulation,substantially reducing personnel hazards if not avoiding themaltogether. Also since the stacking pins of my invention form anintegral part of each pallet they are always available when needed, andwill not become lost or mislaid. The stacking pins are also capable ofeasy and rapid replacement in the field without the need for laboriousdisassembly of the pallet or the entire stacking pin assembly.

It will be understood that, although I have only shown a pair ofstacking pins located in the end beams of the pallet or panel, thelocation of the pins, as well as the number, may be varied. Moreover, itshould also be understood that the embodiment of the present inventionwhich has been described is merely illustrative of one application ofthe principles of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made bythose skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit andscope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A pallet and stacking pin construction comprising, in combination: apallet having a pair of spaced, opposed, generally planar faces of thetype adapted to support articles thereon, elongated guide means locatedbetween and providing openings through said faces of the pallet, anelongated moveable pin having a length less than the spacing of saidfaces of the pallet and carried by said guide means, said pin beingslideably moveable, relative to said guide means and pallet when thepallet is at a generally horizontal attitude, between a first positionwherein one end of the pin is at the plane of the lowermost of said twoplanar faces of the pallet and the entire length of said pin iscontained between the pallet faces when the pallet rests upon asubstantially planar surface and a second position, wherein, under forceof gravity, a portion of said pin extends beyond the lowermost one ofthe faces of the pallet through one of the openings of said guide means,to adapt said portion of the pin for entry into one of the openings ofanother adjacent pallet.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said guide means comprises asubstantially tubular member within which said pin is slideablydisposed, at least one elongated slot extending along the length of saidtubular member, and an arm projecting from said pin, said arm beingslideably disposed in said slot.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said arm is constructed andarranged to be removed from said pin to permit removal of said pin fromsaid tubular member, and said pallet includes an aperture which isalignable with said slot and arm to facilitate the removal.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said guide means has a length tosimultaneously accommodate both its pin, when its pin is located in saidfirst position, and the extended portion of another pin of an adjacentpallet.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the entire said portion of saidpin which extends beyond the face of the pallet is tapered.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said guide means comprises atubular member whose bore is unobstructed so that the pin therefor mayfreely slide therein, and with 5 6 both open ends of: said tubularmember being bevelled. FOREIGN PATENTS 7. The cornbmatron of 01am 1wherem sald gulde means 639,573 6/1950 Great Britainis of a length to belocated Wholly between the faces of the pallet so that substantially noportion thereof extends GERALD M FORLENZA Primary Examimr outwardly ofthe faces of the pallet. e

5 F. E. WERNER, Assistant Examiner References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,998,141 8/1961 Moore et al 108-53 XR

